3.2 cerebral cortex

What are the six layers of the cortex in order from I to VI

Molecular, external granular, external pyramidal, internal granular, internal pyramidal, multiform layer.

Describe the molecular layer?

Neither afferent or efferent. Acellular with horizontal cells; contains many dendrites and axons.

Describe the external granular layer?

Afferent, dense layer of small pyramidal and granular (stellate) cells.

Describe the external pyramidal layer?

Afferent, medium pyramidal calls and loosely packed granular (stellate) cells.

Describe the internal granular layer?

Primary afferent, densely packed granular (stellate) cells, thick in sensory cortex but small/missing in motor cortex.

Describe the internal pyramidal layer?

Primary efferent layer (motor output), filled with large pyramidal (betz) cells.

Describe the multiform layer?

Efferent, contains diverse cell types, integrates input from brainstem and sends projections back to the thalamus.

Where is the frontal lobe and what is it responsible for?

Anterior to the central sulcus, responsible for executive function, motor control and speech production.

Where is the parietal lobe and what is it responsible for?

Posterior to the central sulcus, processes somatosensory information, visuospatial awareness and stereognosis.

Where is the temporal lobe and what is it responsible for?

Inferior to the sylvian fissure, involved in auditory perception, language comprehension, and memory.

Where is the occipital lobe and what is it responsible for?

Posterior of brain, dedicated to primary visual processing.

What is the precentral gyrus involved in?

Primary motor cortex responsible for voluntary movements.

What is the inferior frontal gyrus involved in?

Houses broca’s area, critical for speech production.

What is the postcentral gyrus involved in?

Primary somatosensory cortex.

What is the superior temporal gyrus involved in?

Primary auditory cortex and emotional perception.

What is the middle temporal gyrus involved in?

Language comprehension and semantic memory.

What is the inferior temporal gyrus involved in?

Object recognition.

What is the cuneus and lingual gyrus (occipital lobe) involved in?

Processing and integrating visual information.